swamps0n

Hi all,
I am the holder of a full valid AU 'normal car' style license. I want to convert it to a UK license... I understand that I would need to surrender / relinquish the physical AU license card when I apply for an exchange to a UK one. The thing is : I got the license in NSW on the date of my Dad's bday, and due to a variety of personal, sentimental reasons, I want to keep the AU license card when I go in to exchange it for a UK one at Wimbledon DVLA.
Does anyone have any experience or advice on this? Is there a way I can keep the AU license? Is there alternative evidence or official paperwork that UK DLVA will accept in lieu of the physical AU licence?

I know this is probably a bit 'sappy', but getting the AU license with my Dad is a very emotional memory, and for my own reasons giving up the link to that memory is very painful

Many thanks for your advice.

swamps0n

Something I've thought of, and this must be a situation some AU license holders have experienced in the past : say for example I lost my AU license card, but still wanted to convert it back to UK license. The idea that I'd have get in touch with Australia, get a new license card sent over to UK, then take that to DVLA just so they can confiscate it immediately for the sake of their exchange process would seem a little silly?
I dont know if that's a long shot or not... but it sounds like a feasible situation that others would have been in, so hopefully there is an alternative! I just felt being honest about why I was after an different way was the right way of going about it.
Anyway, just a thought.....

GoldCoastMag

My son was told on his return to Australia, that the licence that the UK took from him should have been returned to him as it is not "his" but belongs to Queensland Transport.

Maybe you can request the return of it, either for your own reasons or quote the States recommendation.

Best of luck, hope you get to keep it, and if all else fails scan it anyway so you have a digital copy.

warrigal

Getting a Uk Licence

NOT even possible until you have been of residence 185 days in the UK

DVLA rules to prevent persons from other EU countrys , that have lost the licence, coming to the UK to get one.

roaringmouse

That only applies to those moving from an EC country - not relevant in this case for a person with an Australian licence.

warrigal

i have been told different, as the UK will not except the classifications (classes ) on the Australian licence
DVLA
And they also can't make exchange until residence is estabiliised

Eg Australian C class licence, (vehicle up to 4.5 Ton) and a UK B class licence, So it won't transfer to a C1 classs

roaringmouse

Look under the "Rules for exchange" heading on this page - you'll see the 185 day rule you mention, however the full rule says Now look on this page under the heading "Gibraltar and Designated Countries" which applies in the case for an Australian licence. You only need to be resident in Great Britain, there is no minimum residency requirement.

warrigal

Yes but what is the situation for a person NOT of the European Union, and not resident, or only a temporary resident.
Answer that one UK

Its pretty obvious that the DVLA don't except any licences other than European union licence, therfore a visitor has to Drive as a visitor and NOT be able to get MOT and TAX plus insurance for the vehicle they drive. So that basically says they are not permitted to drive.

roaringmouse

A visitor to the UK can drive up to 12 months with their licence or international driving permit.

Not completely sure what point you're trying to make on a thread concerning a person holding an Australian licence wanting to exchange it to a British licence, but keep hold of the Australian licence?

warrigal

I am just making a statement about the stupidity of the Brittish and the UK DVLA, because of all these rediculous rules on residency.
IE as a Visitor to GB You can't drive and own a vehicle if you don't have residence.

If you don't have residence you can't get MOT and Road tax on the vehicle you drive.
You can't get insurance either.

So Drive someone else vehicle, thats OK, But don't drive your own vehicle as this is only reserved for GB residents.

Just something for the first poster to consider.I am in this situation, and basically if the vehicle I now own isn't roadworthy and legal to drive in the UK, well their is no point me even travelling their yet.

Im_and_Er

I don't know where you are getting some of your information from ?

1. You can drive a car for 12 months on an Australian licence.

2. Car insurance for visiting Australians is available in the UK, it may not be cheap but that is another matter.

3. Anybody can MOT any car at any time.

4. You do not need to be UK resident to register a car with DVLA, you just need a UK address. I recall nothing on a V5C which identifies an applicants country of origin nor how long they have lived in UK - nor even if they are there legally.

Given the above what exactly is the problem ?

Regarding exchanging a licence the clue is in the word 'exchange meaning that you WILL have to surrender your Australian licence and the subject of it being the property of Queensland Transport is addressed by the act of DVLA returning exchanged licences to the issuing authority, that is the procedure.

If that were not then an unscrupulous person might properly obtain a UK licence but then continue to produce their foreign one when circumstances suited them.

swamps0n

Thank you all for your input .. entirely relevant or otherwise!

I am resident in UK, have been here for more than 185 days .. etc .. I am definitely eligible for the exchange, and DVLA have confirmed that, so there is no question of my opportunity and no question that I can get the UK license.

Annnnnyway. I have made several calls to DVLA and have unearthed a gem of information that has aided me, and may now aid others : DVLA will accept a "Certificate of Entitlement" in lieu of handing in the physical AU license card. The CoE is basically the AU license authority (in my case the NSW RTA) providing an official paper declaration stating the same details as would appear on the license card. I can hand that to DVLA instead of the AU license card, and they'll accept that no questions.

I was right with my 2nd post above : this is what happens if someone reports their license lost and they still require evidence of the license validity without requesting a replacement card. I took this avenue of enquiry with the NSW RTA, and they advised they send out these CoE docs frequently, so the request is not uncommmon, just not well documented to the public unless they enquire.

NSW RTA directed me to this form : http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/publicatio...s/45070476.pdf
and I've filled it out already, faxed it off with cover letter, and been charged $27 for the CoE. Looks like I'm on my way....

Will keep you posted.

Tr1boy

Just a bit of addded info, not directly related. We are unsure how long we'll stay in the UK (been 2 yrs so far). When I moved to Oz in 89 there was no UK/Oz swap arrangement so I have full licences for both countries. But Mrs TB only had/has a full Oz licence.

She got an Intl Licence for the first 12mths here, expired now. She can swap her Oz licence but wanted to know what happened if we went back to Oz, so I rang the RTA from here.

They said technically the DVLA has no legal right to keep the Oz licence and they should be returned to RTA but they never are (her words 'gawd knows what they do with them but we never see them').

Further to this she said if we went back to Oz Mrs TB just has to say she has lost her licence, prove address and they'll issue another one, provided the 'lost' licence is still in validity period. Mrs TB renewed her Oz licence from the UK last year, so she has another 4+ years to worry about. You can only renew the Oz licence remotely once though.

The only reason I'm putting this is that if the UK does not work out and you return (or the possibilty thereof), try and keep your Oz licence up to date, even if you hand it in to DVLA.

Didn't know about the Coe thing, good to know.

swamps0n

Thanks for the advice Tr1boy... i will keep that in mind!

warrigal

There However is Still the question of getting your road insurance, before you get the MOT and Road tax on the vehicle put in your name.

I challenge anyone here to contact some, UK based insurance, agency re enquiry for insurance policys. The first response you will get from them is MUST have UK or EU licence, and MUST have UK address.

So All this tells me is yes Come to GB, travel on our public transport, maybe even get a Hire car here and drive it, But don't try to own or drive your own car, tht is only reserved for our UK residents.

So now I have to get the Loan of a UK adress (Phyical address) so I can apply for Insurance, before I can get a Road tax Disc, then get the vehicle a MOT inspection, and then after that get other insurance and green card insurance for the rest of Europe.

I wonder wether France Has the same difficultys. on the Road taxing of a vehicle.


Internatinal driving agrements say I don't need to have a UK or EU Driving Licence.